STANDING
BETWEEN LOVE AND BETRAYALSTANDING
BETWEEN LOVE AND BETRAYAL
CHAPTER NINE
Rachel kept her mind busy by making sure that Buck’s room that is downstairs off to the living room is ready for his arrival home early this morning. Teaspoon and Kid had already left for town with the buckboard to bring Buck home where he belongs.
Rachel had heard Jane arrive home last evening in near hysterics, but she didn’t want to interfere into the woman’s business concerning Buck. She waited patiently until Teaspoon arrived home about an hour after Jane, to find out if something had transpired badly between Jane and Buck.
Teaspoon had told her the disturbing news that Jane no longer has any desire to be with Buck. There was no particular reason for Jane’s decision, or if there was one, Buck wasn’t sharing that information with Teaspoon.
Rachel had a difficult time sleeping. She felt as if she should go into town and stay with Buck. After all, Jane had stayed with him every night since he was brought into town with a bullet hole in his chest. Buck was used to having Jane’s presence next to him, and now suddenly she wasn’t going to be there for Buck to lean on.
Teaspoon couldn’t sleep either. He could see the plan brewing in his wife’s mind. So he put her plan to a complete halt by ordering Rachel not to ride into town by herself in the middle of the night. With Jesse and his gang nearby, it is entirely too dangerous for any of them to be out riding around by themselves, especially late at night. Teaspoon also kind of felt that Buck needed this night to be alone and think about how he might attempt to talk to Jane about whatever it is that is coming between them.
Rachel walks over to Buck’s bed and turns down the blankets. He’ll need plenty of rest today after the ride from town to the ranch in the back of the buckboard. Riding in the back of the buckboard can be mighty uncomfortable when everything else with your body is well. Rachel can only image how much pain Buck will be in after his short trip today.
Outside the Hunter home, Teaspoon is just halting the buckboard in front of the white picket fence that surrounds his and Rachel’s home. Buck is in the back of the buckboard grimacing in pain and looking very uncomfortable as he leans into Kid who is sitting next to him.
When the buckboard finally comes to a complete stop, Teaspoon jumps off the bench of the buckboard and walks to the back where Kid has Buck at the edge of the buckboard ready to help him off the back and into the house.
Teaspoon stands on one side of Buck and Kid stands on the other side. Both men grasp Buck gently around the waist and help him settle his feet on the ground before attempting to make him stand.
“You think you can make it to the house?” Teaspoon asked with worriment in his voice.
“Yeah,” Buck spoke quietly.
Buck stands on his two legs with Teaspoon and Kid’s help. After a moments rest, Teaspoon and Kid help Buck start to walk toward the white picket fence.
At the gate of the fence all three men halt their progress and bring their heads up to view the commotion coming from the bunkhouse when they hear the door slam shut and a certain young woman’s voice talking and laughing with Cody!
Kid urges Buck to keep proceeding into Rachel and Teaspoon’s home, but when he hears Jane’s voice, Buck can’t help but watch as Cody takes hold of Jane’s hand and the two of them proceed to walk toward them!
Buck’s eyes moist over with fresh tears, but he isn’t about to let Jane see how much she’s hurting him by being with Cody.
Jane stops dead in her tracks when she suddenly gazes away from Cody, and sees Buck standing in-between Teaspoon and Kid who are both looking angrily at her for hurting Buck intentionally by being with Cody so soon after breaking her romance off with Buck.
Jane sees the utter torment on Buck’s face. For a moment she thinks it may be physically pain, but she knows Buck very well, and what she sees on his face is emotional pain. He obviously witnessed her walking out of the bunkhouse with Cody. By the enormous amount of pain etched on his face and the unshed tears welling up in his dark ebony eyes she can only guess that Buck believes that she has already spent the night in Cody’s arms.
Jane begins to tremble from the awful amount of pain that she is causing Buck. He doesn’t even realize that she is in the same amount of pain that she has caused him. She loves him. Why can’t she just ran to him and make all the pain that she’s causing disappear? He loves her so much that he would take her in his arms and never let her go. It’s what she wants, but her mind tells her not to go.
Jane can’t look at Buck any longer. She can’t bear to see all the pain in him that she is causing.
Cody takes hold of Jane’s arm to steady her trembling. He knows that Jane loves Buck more than life itself, but he’s also willing to wait until the day when Buck is just a fond memory. He isn’t totally sure that that day will ever come, but he’s willing to wait for a while and find out.
“Jane, it will get easier with each time you see Buck,” Cody spoke trying to make sure Jane doesn’t take off running into Buck’s arms.
“I hate what I’m doing to him, what I’m doing to us.”
Buck can’t bear to look at Jane with Cody any longer. He had hoped that once the two of them saw each other that she would regret ending their relationship and want to start over again. Her being with Cody had proved his thoughts totally wrong. He’s afraid that if he doesn’t look away from the two of them the tears will flow, and he won’t be able to hide from her the pain that he is in.
Buck glances away from Jane and Cody and stares blindly down at the ground. Kid takes this as a sign that Buck just wants to get into the house. The three of them start to move slowly past the fence gate and onto the front porch.
Jane can’t take her eyes off of Buck. She is worried that the short trip from town has worn him out. She doesn’t take her eyes off Buck until Teaspoon and Kid have him safely inside the house.
Cody takes offense that Jane can’t seem to take her eyes off Buck. He won’t allow himself to get angry with her. He has to understand where her feelings for Buck are concerned. She had just ended their relationship last evening. That isn’t enough time to get over someone that you were planning on spending the rest of your life with. Even though Buck and Jane had not made a formal commitment to do just that, he knows that it was probably days from happening.
“I really need to get into town, Jane,” Cody spoke gently to Jane.
Cody’s voice brings Jane back to the real world. She gazes at Cody. “Of course.”
The two of them walk to the barn hand in hand. Cody goes inside while Jane waits outside staring blindly at the Hunter home. She can’t even imagine her life with Cody, but even more she can’t imagine her life without Buck.
Cody appears next to Jane atop his horse. “Are you sure you’ll be alright today with my leaving you alone?”
Jane glances up at Cody. She forces a smile at him. “I’m sure.”
Jane starts walking toward Rachel and Teaspoon’s home as she hears Cody gallop away from the ranch behind her. It will be awkward with the two of them staying with Rachel and Teaspoon, but at least they will be separated by one floor. She is sure that Rachel won’t let Buck get out of bed for at least a week. So for at least a week, Jane will be able to come and go as she pleases without running into her beloved.
Teaspoon and Kid help Buck to sit down in a chair located in his bedroom. Kid walks over to Rachel and helps her pull the blankets to the bottom of the bed.
Teaspoon stays by Buck’s side. “Are you sure you’re alright, son?”
“No Teaspoon, I’m not sure I’m alright, but I’m going to have to make myself be alright because she’s obviously with Cody now,” Buck stated his voice cracking with emotion.
Rachel walks over to where Teaspoon is standing. Buck doesn’t need to get too emotional right now. Rachel figures it will definitely slow down his healing process. “The two of you may leave. I can get Buck into bed.”
Kid walks over to Buck. “I’ll be over a little later to see you.”
Buck just shakes his head in agreement.
Jane is walking onto the porch when Teaspoon and Kid make their way out of the Hunter home. Teaspoon is so angry with Jane that he doesn’t even acknowledge her being there. He walks right past her and heads out to the barn.
Kid stands next to Jane. He isn’t about to let her get off as easily as Teaspoon had just done by ignoring her presence. He wants to know exactly what is going on in her mind and heart.
Kid and Jane don’t say a word to each other. Both of them are busy watching Teaspoon limp to the barn. It is obvious to them that he hasn’t been taking care of his own health since Buck got hurt. They watch as moments later Teaspoon rides out of the barn and off the ranch.
“We need to talk,” Kid spoke with anger aimed at Jane.
Jane tries to walk past Kid, but he dodges her escape and latches onto her forearm.
“You’re hurting Buck real bad.”
Jane tries to yank her arm free from Kid’s strong hold on her. “Do you think
I don’t know that?”
“I want to know why? Why after all the love that was obviously between the two of you? Was all those feelings just a lie?” Kid asked his voice filled with rage.
“You’re hurting me,” Jane spoke as she still tries to free herself from Kid’s grasp.
Kid finally lets go off Jane’s arm. He
doesn’t want to physically hurt Jane, Kid just wants to know the truth. “You
can’t give me an answer because you still love him. But, if you still love Buck
then why are you doing this to the two of you?”
“I don’t have to answer your questions, Kid. I simply can’t be with Buck, and that’s all I’m saying concerning Buck and I,” Jane spoke as she walks into the Hunter home.
Kid stands on the front porch upset that Buck is going through so much pain and that he is the last person in the world that should have to endure so much pain. Buck deserves to be happy. He deserves more than anyone to have someone love him with as much love as Buck can give in return. Kid knows Buck won’t complain about it. Buck will just go on living, alone.
Charlene and Louise are in Lou’s kitchen making homemade bread for this evening’s dinner. Lou has noticed that Charlene has been too quiet all morning. She can’t help but wonder if there is another scheme brewing in Charlene’s mind now that she knows that Jane has ended her relationship with Buck.
“You’re awfully quiet this morning, Charlene,” Louise spoke trying to find out what the deceitful woman might be up to.
“I’ve been contemplating on whether I should ask you something that is on my mind.”
“Go ahead. I will try to answer your question as honestly as I can.”
Charlene puts down the oven mitts that she has been holding while waiting for the bread to be done baking. “Do you think now that Jane and Buck are through, that I might have a chance with Buck? I mean I was thinking that maybe I could take supper over to Buck tonight and we could sit and talk for awhile.”
Lou can’t help but look distraught at Charlene. She doesn’t want Charlene anywhere near Buck. She plans on having a woman-to-woman talk with Jane to find what is really behind Jane’s ending her romance with Buck. If Charlene were the last single woman living in Rock Creek, Lou still wouldn’t want her with Buck. She doesn’t want to hurt Charlene by voicing her low opinion of her, so Lou will try and show as much compassion toward Charlene that her heart will allow for a woman that is manipulating her family.
“Charlene lets sit down a minute.”
Both women pull out a chair to sit on at the nearby table. Louise leaves out a heavy sigh and tries to piece together her words in her mind before she allows them to escape from her mouth. She doesn’t want to make Charlene feel like she is a bad person even though that is exactly what Louise thinks of Charlene.
“Charlene, right now Buck is very hurt by the ending of his and Jane’s relationship. I think, no let me rephrase that, I know that Buck had serious thoughts of spending the rest of his life with Jane. That kind of love just doesn’t go away in a few days or even a few weeks. In all honestly I think it would be best if you don’t push yourself onto Buck too soon.”
“I wasn’t intending on pushing myself onto Buck, Louise,” Charlene spoke bitterly.
“Buck is extremely vulnerable right now. He may welcome your company but it might only be because Jane has hurt him so badly. You wouldn’t want Buck on the rebound, because those kind of feelings never last. He’ll realize that he doesn’t really love you, and then you will be the one getting hurt.”
“You really don’t think Buck will ever love me, do you Louise?”
“Honestly Charlene, no I don’t.” Louise looks down at the table as if she is trying to choose her next words very carefully. She glances back up at Charlene. “The truth is Charlene, you and Buck are two totally different people. Buck will never fall in love with you.”
Charlene quickly removes herself from Louise’s sight. She runs through the house until she reaches the front door. She walks outside and stands at the edge of the porch looking over at the Hunter home where Buck is resting. “I’ll have Buck. It’s time to put Jesse’s next plan into action!”